1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a joint connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional joint connector is identified by the numeral 1 in FIG. 12 and also is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. (Hei) 06-349538. The joint connector 1 has a synthetic resin housing 2. Cavities 3 are stacked vertically in two parallel tiers in the housing 2, and are configured respectively to accommodate metal terminals 4. One wall of each cavity 3 is formed with an elastically displaceable lock piece 5 for engaging the metal terminal 4 inserted into the cavity 3. Thus, the metal terminal 4 is supported in the cavity 3 against a pulling force.
The housing 2 also has a groove 6 formed between the upper and lower tiers of cavities 3. A plate-shaped metal joint terminal 7 can be fit in the groove 6 to connect the respective metal terminals 4 to each other.
Many joint connectors require a retainer to achieve double engagement of the metal terminals in the housing. However, mounting work becomes complicated with the joint connector described above, due to the increase in the number of components such as joint terminals, retainers, and the like.
The present invention was made with reference to the above problems, and the objective of the present invention is to provide a joint connector with improved assembling workability.
The invention relates to a connector that has a housing and a plurality of cavities extending through the housing. Metal terminals can be mounted in the cavities and are locked redundantly in place by a retainer. A conductive plate or several conductive metal plates are secured on the retainer. The retainer is assembled into a formal engaging position in the housing, so that the retainer engages the metal terminals and so that the conductive plate contacts the metal terminals, thereby making each metal terminal conductively connectable.
The retainer and the conductive plate are integrated into one unit, thereby enabling the assembly onto the housing at one time, improving the assembling workability, and maintaining fewer components compared with the case in which a retainer and a conductive plate are separate pieces. Thus, component management is simpler.